Serena Williams won't play Olympics tennis mixed doubles

Wimbledon, England — Serena Williams won't play mixed doubles at the Olympics, and the two U.S. teams will instead feature four doubles specialists — the Bryan brothers and Liezel Huber and Lisa Raymond.

Raymond and Mike Bryan will be reunited after winning their third Grand Slam title together at Wimbledon this summer. The other U.S. entry will be Huber and Bob Bryan, who have won two major titles together.

Williams, who is competing in singles and with her sister Venus in women's doubles, had repeatedly said she also wanted to play mixed doubles. Andy Roddick, John Isner and the Bryans all sought her as a partner.

But she became coy about the subject in recent weeks and wasn't on the list when teams were nominated Tuesday. Mixed doubles is in the Olympics for the first time since 1924. Competition begins Wednesday with 16 teams, meaning only two victories are needed to reach the medal round.

Serena Williams has played little mixed doubles since early in her career. In 1998 she teamed with Max Mirnyi at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open to win her only major titles in the event.

Venus Williams wasn't expected to play mixed doubles because she's already in two other events and dealing with an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue.

While the U.S. entries lack the anticipated star power, they'll be formidable. The Bryan twins are competing as a team in men's doubles and seeded No. 1. The Huber-Raymond partnership is seeded No. 1 in women's doubles.